Level scaling OR Don't play RPGs then girlie man. - by SubJeff
icemann on 9/1/2011 at 10:03
Quote Posted by Koki
No, and if there's any place for level scaling it would be a jRPG because then you don't need to grind for hours just to get over Boss X.
Thats half the fun with JRPGs Koki. Greater feeling of accomplishment when you take out Boss X since by that point you use actual strategy (from knowing your party/character inside out by then), rather than just tapping any button.
june gloom on 9/1/2011 at 10:40
You've clearly never played it then. All the monsters level with Squall. You could never ever take him out of the party, so he always advanced ahead of everyone else. Since the monsters levelled with him, and not everyone else, when you get into a random battle every 3 steps, as the game grinds on towards its inevitable shitheap of a conclusion, most of the party gets owned outright by tougher monsters, and without any backup Squall has his ass handed to him.
My god FF8 sucked. It's got no redeeming qualities save for one song in one specific area, and that's 'cuz it reminds me of Resident Evil.
Koki on 9/1/2011 at 12:45
Nice theory, too bad you never played the game and are only relying on that shittastic YouTube review for your information.
Actually I'd say FF8 is one of the most tolerable jRPGs overall. No wonder weeaboos hate it so much.
Quote Posted by icemann
Thats half the fun with JRPGs Koki. Greater feeling of accomplishment when you take out Boss X since by that point you use actual strategy (from knowing your party/character inside out by then), rather than just tapping any button.
Use ice on fire monster is not strategy, it's not even tactics. Just get out of here
Dresden on 9/1/2011 at 12:57
Quote Posted by Eldron
Daggerfall had level scaling
It had some scaling, but there was always a chance of monster spawns creating something way outside of your skill level. That's part of the reason why Oblivion feels sterile. Everything revolves around you instead of feeling like a real, living world existing outside of your character level.
icemann on 9/1/2011 at 13:18
Quote Posted by Koki
Use ice on fire monster is not strategy, it's not even tactics. Just get out of here
I was talking about JRPGs ingeneral not just FF8. Which is alot more tactics than just elemental tactics. Each game has its own various things that you need to learn how to deal with. For example I'm currently playing Star Ocean 2 inwhich using specific types of attacks helps you to deal with certain enemies (eg jumping attacks or waiting and then timing a special attack when dealing with jumping or flying enemies etc). That sortof thing.
If you just go the scaling way as you prefer then you'd get to the boss or enemy in 2 seconds (the casual player way) and not know how to play the game at all and get completely pwned. Which would = angry player and is completely pointless. If you prefer fast games then go play flash games.
Eldron on 9/1/2011 at 13:26
Quote Posted by Dresden
It had some scaling, but there was always a chance of monster spawns creating something way outside of your skill level. That's part of the reason why Oblivion feels sterile. Everything revolves around you instead of feeling like a real, living world existing outside of your character level.
Exactly, and that's why fallout3 improved on it, there were chances for you to bump into something beyond your ability to handle.
And I believe they'll improve this further with Skyrim now that they've learned stuff, and having a quest system that is a bit more towards daggerfall.
Koki on 9/1/2011 at 13:31
Quote Posted by icemann
I was talking about JRPGs ingeneral not just FF8.
As was I.
Kuuso on 9/1/2011 at 14:49
Ancient Domains of Mystery handles level-scaling quite well. All the creatures do have their set attributes, meaning daemons kick rats' asses any day, but the lesser foes do scale somewhat, but still remaining lesser.
It was botched at one patch though. Iirc the scaling was dependant on how many of monsters you have killed. So werejackals, who spawned jackals, ended up being the most horrible evil man has ever faced at the end of the game, since their minions scaled through the roof due to amount killed.
I don't know much about other roguelikes, does Nethack have scaling? I'd say these are good examples of level scaling working in gaming.
Eldron on 9/1/2011 at 16:21
Quote Posted by Kuuso
Ancient Domains of Mystery handles level-scaling quite well. All the creatures do have their set attributes, meaning daemons kick rats' asses any day, but the lesser foes do scale somewhat, but still remaining lesser.
It was botched at one patch though. Iirc the scaling was dependant on how many of monsters you have killed. So werejackals, who spawned jackals, ended up being the most horrible evil man has ever faced at the end of the game, since their minions scaled through the roof due to amount killed.
I don't know much about other roguelikes, does Nethack have scaling? I'd say these are good examples of level scaling working in gaming.
I think they have the benefit of having a linear progression, which makes it easier for the game designer to put up goals for the player to reach, there's no choice in where to go, you just go down.
Most MMO's solve the non-scaling leveling by having several branching linear areas, so progression is linear but you can choose which area to progress to.
Morrowind had a slight mix, it did the mmo-style area progression where some areas had clear difficulty differences you had to reach, it made it quite fun, and it also sprinkled in some spawns appropriate to your level with a cap to make sure it didn't spawn super stuff at low level areas.
june gloom on 9/1/2011 at 18:02
Quote Posted by Koki
Nice theory, too bad you never played the game and are only relying on that shittastic YouTube review for your information.
Actually I'd say FF8 is one of the most tolerable jRPGs overall. No wonder weeaboos hate it so much.
Bitch, FF8 was the last Christmas gift to me from my dying aunt in 1999. You can go fuck yourself with a cactus. Unlike you I don't need to get my opinions from 4chan or Duck and Cover.
